The Pickens sentinel. [volume] (Pickens, S.C.) 1871-1903, 1887-12-15
LEGISLATIVE PROCEEDINGS.
WHAT THE LAWMAKERS HAVE DONE
FOR THE STATE.

Several Important Measures Receive FInu
CoDsideration--Synop of tho Proceed
ings Thereon.
COLUMBIA, December 1O.-The worl
of the Legislature has progressed rapid
ly and satisfactorily for the past week
The more important measures acted O,
will now be noticed.
THE CRIMINAL LAW.
The bill to regulate the criminal prac
tice in this State has passed the Hous,
and Senate both and is now before tn,
Senate judiciary committee, who ar,
considering the House amendments
The following is the text of the bill as il
left the House:
Section l. That every Indictment shal
be deemed and adjudged sufficient an6
good In law, which, in addition to set
ting forth the time and place, as nov
provided by law, charges the crime sub
stantlally in the language of the com,
mon law or of the statute prohibiting the
same, or so plainly that the nature OF
the offence charged may be easily under,
stood.
Section 2. That every objection to any
indictment for any defect apparent on
the face thereof shall be taken by de.
mu1rer, or on motion to quash such in
dlctment before the jury shall be sworn,
and not afterwards.
Section 3. That if there be any defect
In form in any Indictment it shall be
competent for the Court before which
the case is tried to amend the said in.
dlctment: Provided, such amendment
does not change the nature of the offence
charged; that if on tho trial of any case
there shall appear to be any variance be-
tween the allegations of the indictment
and the evidence Offered in proof
thereof, it shall be competent for the
Court before which the trial shall be had
20 amend the said Indictment according
to the proof Provided, such amendment
does not change the nature of the offence
charged; and after such amendment the
trial shall proceed in all respects and
with tho same consequence as if no vari-
ence had occurred, unless such amend
mont shall operate as q surprise to the
defendant, in which case the defendant
shall be entitled upon demand to con-
tinuance of the cause.
Section 4. That in any plea of autre
tols acquit or autre fois convict it shall
be sufficient for any defendant to state
that he has been lawfully acquitted or
convicted, as the case may be, or the
offence charged in the Indictment.
Section 5. That every Indictment for
murder shall be deemed and adiudged
sufficient and good in law, which in ad-
dltlon to setting forth the time and
place, together with plain statement,
dlvcotcd OF all useless phraseology, OF
the manner in which the death OF the
deceased was caused, charges that the
defendant did feloniously, wilfully and
of his malice aforethought kill and mur-
der the deceased.
Section 6. That in all cases whatso-
ever in which it shall be necessary to
make any averment in auy Indictment as
to any instrument, whether the same
consists wholly or in part of writing,
print or figures, shall be sufficient to de-
scribe such instrument by any name or
designation by which the same may be
usually known or by the purport thereof,
end in such manner as to sufficiently
ientify such instrument without set
lng out any copy or fac similo of the
'7hole or any part thereof.
Section 7. That in any Indictment for
perjury it shall not be necessary to set
forth more than the substance of the
oath and the fact concerning which the
perjury is alleged to have bee, COM
mitted.
Section s. That any person or persons
who shall be arraigned for the crime of
murder, manslaughter, burglary, arson,
rape or grand larceny shall be entitled
to peremptory challenges not exceeding
ten; and the State in such cases shall be
entitled to perempt,ry challenges not
exceeding five; and any person or per-
sons who shall be indicted for any crime
or offence, other than those enumerated
above, shall have the ri9h: to perempto-
ry challenges not exceeding five, and the
State in such cases shall be entitled to
peremptory challenges not exceeding
two. But no right to stand aside Jurors
shall be allowed to the State in any case
whatsoever: Provided, that in no case
where there shall be more than one dc.
fendant jointly tried, shall more than
twenty peremptory challenges be allow.
ed in all to the defendants.
Section 8. Nothing in this Act con
tanned shall apply to any case where AZ
indictment has already been found and
the case is actually pending.
Section 10. That all Acts and parts o.
Acts inconsistent with this Act are hereby
repealed.
The bill to provide for the payment
by the State of the expenses of ali pros
ecutions in criminal cases, caused con
considerable discussion, participated il
by several members, Colonel Haskell
leading the fight against the bill and MIR
Rankin defending it. Finally it was in
definitely postponed by q vote of s.
to As.
The next bill taken up was tho on,
amending the General Statutes in rela
ton to liens on buildings and lands
Several speeches were made on tho bill
and the debate was long and interesting
After every feature had been fully ant
freely discussed it was indefinitely post
poned.
Numerous bills have passed their thirC
readings, among which-the bill to pun
lsh cock-tighting within three miles O
any chartered institution in this Stat,
CONCEALED WEAPONS.
There was some discussion on the bill
(by DR.. Lee, of Charleston,) to amenC
the law as to the carrying Of concealed
weapons, making the offence a felony
Dr., Lee supported his bill in an obi,
argument and was seconded by DIR
Pope, Of Newberry, Mr.. Boozer, O